Trapped vortex combustor for a gas turbine engine with a driver airflow channel

Abstract

A trapped vortex combustor for use in a gas turbine engine includes an outer vortex chamber wall and a dome attached to, or formed integrally with, the outer vortex chamber wall. The dome, the outer vortex chamber wall, or both define at least in part an outer trapped vortex chamber and a channel. The channel extends along the circumferential direction at a forward end of the outer vortex chamber wall, the channel configured to receive an airflow through or around the outer vortex chamber wall, the dome, or both and provide such airflow as a continuous annular airflow to the inner surface of the outer vortex chamber wall. The dome further defines a fuel nozzle opening, with all openings in the dome outward of the fuel nozzle opening along the radial direction, excepting any effusion cooling holes having a diameter less than about 0.035 inches, being in airflow communication with the channel.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A trapped vortex combustor for use in a gas turbine engine, the trapped vortex combustor defining a radial direction and a circumferential direction, the trapped vortex combustor comprising:
 an outer vortex chamber wall having an inner surface on a combustion chamber side of the outer vortex chamber wall, and including an outer vortex chamber wall flange arranged at a forward end of the outer vortex chamber wall; 
 a dome having an outer dome flange; and 
 a mount attaching the outer dome flange to the outer vortex chamber wall flange, a channel defined between the outer dome flange and the outer vortex chamber wall flange, 
 wherein the dome, the outer vortex chamber wall, or both define at least in part an outer trapped vortex chamber, the channel extending along the circumferential direction at the mount between the outer dome flange and the outer vortex chamber wall flange and configured to receive an airflow, the mount including a plurality of openings in airflow communication with the channel for providing the airflow as a continuous annular airflow to the inner surface of the outer vortex chamber wall, wherein the dome further defines a fuel nozzle opening, with all openings in the dome outward of the fuel nozzle opening along the radial direction, excepting any effusion cooling holes having a diameter less than about 0.035 inches, being in airflow communication with the channel, 
 wherein the mount further comprises a C-shaped flange extending around the outer vortex chamber wall flange and the outer dome flange, and 
 wherein the plurality of openings of the mount are defined in a forward end of the C-shaped flange to provide the airflow to the channel defined between the outer vortex chamber wall flange and the outer dome flange. 
 
     
     
       2. The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an inner combustion chamber liner and an outer combustion chamber liner together defining a combustion chamber, wherein the outer trapped vortex chamber is positioned upstream of the combustion chamber. 
 
     
     
       3. The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of openings are spaced along the circumferential direction. 
     
     
       4. The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the outer trapped vortex chamber is configured to receive a total amount of airflow during operation, and wherein at least about fifteen percent of the total amount of airflow is provided through the channel. 
     
     
       5. The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the channel extends three hundred and sixty degrees about an axial centerline of the trapped vortex combustor. 
     
     
       6. The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the channel is an outer channel, and wherein the dome further comprises an inner dome flange, and the combustor further comprises:
 an inner vortex chamber wall having an inner surface on a combustion chamber side of the inner vortex chamber wall and including an inner vortex chamber wall flange arranged at a forward end of the inner vortex chamber wall; and 
 an inner mount attaching the inner dome flange to the inner vortex chamber wall flange, an inner channel defined between the inner dome flange and the inner vortex chamber wall flange, 
 wherein the dome, the inner vortex chamber wall, or both define at least in part an inner trapped vortex chamber, the inner channel extending along the circumferential direction at the inner mount between the inner dome flange and the inner vortex chamber wall flange and configured to receive an airflow, the inner mount defining a plurality of openings in airflow communication with the inner channel for providing the airflow as a continuous annular airflow to the inner surface of the inner vortex chamber wall. 
 
     
     
       7. The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 6 , wherein the fuel nozzle opening of the dome is an outer fuel nozzle opening, wherein the dome further defines an inner fuel nozzle opening, and wherein all openings in the dome inward of the inner fuel nozzle opening along the radial direction, excepting any effusion cooling holes having a diameter less than about 0.035 inches, are in airflow communication with the inner channel. 
     
     
       8. The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 6 , wherein the inner channel extends three hundred and sixty degrees about an axial centerline of the trapped vortex combustor. 
     
     
       9. The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 6 , wherein the outer channel defines an outer channel outlet and the inner channel defines an inner channel outlet,
 wherein the trapped vortex combustor defines a cavity height between the outer vortex chamber wall at the outer channel outlet and the inner vortex chamber wall at the inner channel outlet, wherein the outer channel further defines a maximum height, and wherein the maximum height of the outer channel is between about 0.1 percent and about eight percent of the cavity height. 
 
     
     
       10. The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 6 , wherein the outer channel defines an outer channel outlet and the inner channel defines an inner channel outlet,
 wherein the trapped vortex combustor defines a cavity height between the outer vortex chamber wall at the outer channel outlet and the inner vortex chamber wall at the inner channel outlet, wherein the fuel nozzle opening defines a separation from the inner surface of the outer vortex chamber wall, and wherein the separation is between about one percent and about eight percent of the cavity height. 
 
     
     
       11. The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the channel is an outer channel, and wherein the trapped vortex combustor further comprises:
 an inner vortex chamber, comprising:
 an inner vortex chamber wall extending axially from a forward end to an aft end, 
 wherein the dome extends radially outward from the forward end of the inner vortex chamber wall, 
 wherein an inner annular lip extends axially aft from the dome to define, at least in part, an inner annular channel between the inner annular lip and the forward end of the inner vortex chamber wall. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The trapped vortex combustor according to  claim 11 , wherein the outer channel defines an outlet, and the inner annular channel defines an outlet,
 wherein the trapped vortex combustor defines a cavity height between the outer vortex chamber wall at the outlet of the outer channel and the inner vortex chamber wall at the outlet of the inner annular channel. 
 
     
     
       13. The trapped vortex combustor according to  claim 11 , wherein the inner vortex chamber further comprises an inner transition wall extending radially outward from an aft end of the inner vortex chamber wall, the inner transition wall including an second annular wall extension extending from a radially outer end of the inner transition wall. 
     
     
       14. The trapped vortex combustor according to  claim 13 , wherein the inner transition wall comprises an inner transition wall opening that directly faces the second annular wall extension. 
     
     
       15. The trapped vortex combustor according to  claim 14 , wherein an inner transition wall airflow through the inner transition wall opening is redirected by the second annular wall extension in the radial direction toward the inner vortex chamber wall.